Essays on Camera Craft and Creativity by David duChemin - a book review
Why, I think you should go and get yourself a copy right now!
Every now and again, I read a book and at its completion, feel a mix of emotions that I cannot quite put into words. This is my attempt at putting some words to one of these occurrences. I’ve just finished the book ‘Light Space and Time – Essays on Camera Craft and Creativity’ by David duChemin. This blog post is to share my thoughts on his most recent book. Quick spoiler alert – I’m going to tell you to go and get yourself a copy right now!
There is no denying I am a massive fan of David duChemin. I have listened to his 90-odd podcast episodes at least twice each, I have a digital library full of his books, and I have digested a couple of his online courses, and I eagerly await the newsletters and every new Instagram post he creates. I find him so easy to listen to and it feels bizarrely like I know him, even though I have never met him. He has however been so gracious to answer a few of my emails and offer some input into a book I once started to write. When I initially made contact with him, I assumed that being such a small fish in a big sea, my email would probably find its way lost under a pile of ever-growing correspondence that I was sure David had to deal with. Imagine my delight, amazement and thrill when he actually replied personally, and not just a one line email either!
Having a copy of his latest book in my hands however, is the first time I have ever held his work physically, and it made the world of difference to me. It helped that it was a Christmas present, and part of my Christmas present to myself this year was to take some time off between the festivities and the new year starting. So basically, I actually had the time to sit, immerse and read without feeling any guilt that I should be doing something else.
I’ll start by letting you know that this is not a ‘how to’ technical photography book. Although I love David’s work, it’s for his approach to creativity within the realms of photography that attracts me to wanting to hear what he has to say, not wanting to learn how he made the images he did specifically. On finishing this book, I felt I’d had several mentoring sessions with someone who encouraged me enough to do my own thing and follow my heart within my photography.
Had I turned down every page on which I found a sentence that resonated with me, my whole book would now be dog eared. One beautiful part of this book is the pages on which he has pulled out many of these sentences and given them a page of their own. This allows you to dwell for a second time on statements that seem to resonate. I’ve only read through the book once, but I wonder if after the second read through I will be able to exercise so much self-control on trying to maintain the beautiful new book feel!
Having listened to David’s expansive podcast series – A Beautiful Anarchy, reading the book I can also hear him as I alight upon certain sentences and sections. A smile spreads across my face as I imagine his eyebrows raise and his face take on a quizzical look as his humour and honesty emerges from the pages.
I’m not really sure that I knew what to expect from this book, or what I hoped it would offer me. But I knew that I wanted to find out. Writing this, I feel that this simple sentence echoes the discussion in the book about photography its self. The overriding theme of the book is of encouragement to try, to make photographs and explore your relationship with your camera, without expectation, but with a desire to find out the possibilities.
Every chapter in the book offers an essay on creativity. I found so much written that resonated with me on a deep level. On reading the book I felt I was being offered a listening ear, telling me that all the pressures I feel with regards to my photography are completely normal. At times, it was like reading a mirror of my own conscience.
Having followed David’s work for so long now, seeing many of the images within the book was like meeting old friends. The bears especially. The images create a beautiful balance and pause between the writing. Enjoyed in conjunction with the words, you see the thought that has gone into creating images that illustrate the concepts almost at a subconscious level.
Light, space and time
The title of this book intrigued me. Let’s be honest, it is pretty catchy and the front page of the book is of a timeless image that seems to embrace all three elements at once. What I loved about the book was its return throughout the pages back to these concepts, and how they play a role in every single image you make. And not just in the obvious technical ways we have all been taught.
It would be easy to assume that the book would discuss light in relation to exposure. Or that space is related to where you place your elements within the frame. Or that time is just related to shutter speed. But this is not the style of David duChemin. He offers you something much more, deeper, creative and soulful. Essays and discussions on these elements have led me to understand that separating these intertwining elements, is about as easy as getting a knot out of a frozen piece of rope.
Creativity, flow and voice
I have to admit that although creativity has a firm place within my photography practices, flow and voice have been almost ignored! The way these concepts are discussed and explored, opens up a realm of possibilities and awareness to how much I might have been missing. With a little more understanding, I also now begin to realise how their absence could have been affecting my creative endeavours. Awareness and knowledge are for me the first step towards embracing these ideas. Now all I need to do is persevere and not give up when it doesn’t come easily!
Getting started
I will freely admit, if I could miss out the getting started bit in any creative endeavour, I might get started on a lot more. This does not only relate to my photography. In fact, I recognise it more clearly in my painting endeavours – that I find it near impossible to get a paintbrush and paint onto a clean piece of paper. I could make every excuse in the world, but I know at the end of the day there is one reason alone that is stopping me, and that is the fear that the result might not live up to my expectations. This book gently reminds you (time and time again) that you cannot possibly expect to achieve your expectations, improve or find anything easier if you don’t try! David’s other book ‘Start Ugly’ is a whole book dedicated to this concept.
This is one of the greatest takeaways from the book, so obvious I nearly hide myself away with embarrassment, to think I needed to be told such a simple thing… That getting out with your camera is essential to making images!
Freeing yourself from expectations
Carrying expectations with you as you go out with your camera is a great way to knock creativity out of the water. The minute we place any kind of expectation on ourselves we add pressure. We remove the element of spontaneity and the opportunity to explore the question of ‘what if’ openly. This is again, a theme that runs the full length of the book. It is one I also recognise that I struggle with.
My tussle with the expectation of others in an ongoing one. But interestingly, the way I am overcoming it, is by realising that it is not others, but actually myself who is placing these expectations. I’m getting better at talking to myself (whether that is a good or bad thing I will leave you to decide). But when I catch myself placing an expectation, I now try and ask myself whether it is real or self-generated.
One I often tussle with is that ‘others expect me to make ICM images’ that if I make straight landscape images, others will say I am not committed to one style of photography. If I peel back to find the foundation of this expectation, it does not come from anyone else at all! No one has ever asked negatively why I chose to use the ICM technique sometimes and not others. It is something self-generated, an expectation I have for some reason placed upon myself.
The recent publication of my book ‘If the woods whispered would you hear them’ is my brazen and brave attempt to prove to myself that this is a silly notion, one inflicted upon myself to create an excuse for not pursuing a project in case of possible failure. I can’t tell you the number of times I asked myself how others would judge a book containing a jumble of black and white, colour, ICM, multiple exposure, photography and artwork all in one book. Turns out not one person has judged my book for this!
A quote from David’s book
“I can’t decide which is worse; when the imagined voices chatter loudly or when I can’t hear them at all and wonder ‘what if no one cares?” has me thinking long after I turn the page.
Endless comparison to others
As social media presence continues to seep into our lives (no matter how many times we close the door on it, it always seems to knock incessantly) and the constantly managed feed of influence, I am amazed any of us have the ability to be brave enough to believe that if we are doing something different to the norm, that this it is ok.
I know from personal experience how a well-meaning exploration for inspiration can quickly turn into one of a feeling of inadequacy and worthlessness. David addresses the value of looking at the work of others and how you can do this in a proactive manner, rather than a destructive manner to your self-esteem or creativity. His willingness to admit that he too has suffered from an overwhelming need to try every new technique to keep up with the trends, is refreshingly honest. His sharing of his techniques and approaches on dealing with these occurrences is simple, and can be so easily put into practice.
Throughout the book, it is these moments of honesty and openness that are shared, that allow me to open up an honest dialogue with myself. Admit that ‘yes, me too’.
One quote that I think I will probably print off and stick on the wall next to my desk for all those moments of doubt is this:
“There is no right and there is no wrong in photography; there is only what works, and specifically, what works for you”.
Figure out why you make images
No matter how many times I say it, I always feel a bit of a fraud when people ask me why I make the photos I do. Or what I am going to do with the photos I make.
I have no deep agenda, no environmental or political narrative. There is a very simple reason. I am always looking, I see things that I find beautiful, intriguing or that I just can’t ignore. They call to be to explore them, I do this with the lens of my camera. My photography process is one of wonderment and exploration, seeing how I can express what drew me to pick my camera up in the first place. The images I create are crafted with love, the purpose of them being made, is the process of making the image its self. Making images offers me the time to immerse and escape, to let my inhibitions free and just see what happens.
The very last chapter of the book seems to conclude a wonderful journey through light, space and time.
“Find your magic; Figure out why you make photographs. Do more of that. Ignore the rest.”
So, should you rush out and buy this book?
Well in my humble opinion, hell yes. Reading this book, I saw myself reflected on every page, I recognised the challenges that so many of those I work with face in pursuit of doing something they love.
This book is an absolute must for anyone who wants to bring a sense of self to their images. If you have been wondering if you were wrong to want to make images that you love and don’t fit with regular convention or social media trends. Or if you have ever suffered any self-doubt in relation to your photography process or ability, this book will leave you with a feeling that you are not alone. That even the great David duChemin (to coin his own phrase) who “seems to have all his shit together” has suffered (and probably still does given that he is only human) with the challenges of self-expression and creativity through the lens.
This is a book that is beautifully crafted, and keeps giving right up until the last page – my favourite quote.
“I love the magic of the unexpected that I seem to encounter more when I’m out there with a camera in my hands”
All photos in this article were made during a walk on my son’s 20th birthday. They were made with my Nikon Z30 (no viewfinder). I forgot my glasses, and the sun was shining in my eyes most of the time (hence made almost blindly on auto setting!). It is fair to say they are not masterpieces. However, I love each and every one. They represent memories of a special walk, grabbed on the hoof as the rest of the family forged on without me, huffing at my inability to keep up! I trusted my camera to sort its self out, didn’t care if it didn’t manage it 100%, as long as when I made the images, that they were made consciously and in a reactive state to something I just found too beautiful or intriguing not to explore with my camera.... If only for a few seconds (before running to catch everyone else up).
I include this detail to show you how embracing the content of this book encouraged me to get my camera out of my pocket, regardless of the limitations I was experiencing, and create some images that I love. And a photo that I will treasure forever to complete the set.
I absolutely love embracing every opportunity I have wherever in the world I am. To have a look at some of my other photographic creativity, check out my creative galleries page on my website. I also wrote a post recently about exploring woodlands in the autumn with lots of ideas how to embrace the opportunity. Check out that blog post here.
